Like Talking to a Wall
by BobR
Summary: Washu has an... interesting conversation with someone.


Disclaimer

Tenchi and all associated characters are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC.  I don't own any rights to them.  Any other characters are property of their respective copyright holders, not me.

*****

Like Talking to a Wall

A sort of prolog to The Great Cabbit Search

Warning: the format of this may be a little… odd.  It's sort of a one-sided conversation between Washu and someone else and we only get to hear Washu's side of it.  If it works, fine.  If not, oh well; I thought it was worth a try.

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Washu was hunched over her holo-terminal finishing up the calculations for her Reality Hopper.  When it was done she would be able to travel through the dimensions in search of the origins of the three strange cabbits.  Not that she couldn't use her innate power to do it already, but if she wanted to take anyone with her she'd need the machine.  In the distance she heard a phone ringing.  A phone?  In her lab?  She didn't remember there ever being a phone in her lab.  In fact, it was impossible.  Her lab existed in subspace; there weren't even any phone lines.

She heard her student yell, "I'll get it!" and then pick up the supposedly non-existent phone.

"Hello?" said the young voice.  "Oh. Hi Daddy!  How are you?"

Washu's head shot up.  Daddy?  It couldn't be, could it?

"Yes, I'm fine.  They're fine too.  Yes.  Yes, I'm learning a lot.  I think I'll be able to upgrade my license soon.  Oh, thank you!  Lady Washu?  Yes she's here.  I'll get her for you."

Washu closed out the session she had open and stood up.

"PROFESSOR WASHU!  PHONE CALL!" her student called.

"I'm coming, I'm coming.  Hold on."  She took the receiver.  "Yeah?"

Pause.

"Yeah it's me.  Oh.  You remember.  Good."

Pause.

"I know.  Hey, I'm trying, ok?"

Pause.

"Yeah, I know who I'm talking to.  Do you?"

Pause.

"Remember who created the great darkness in the first place.  You just filled it with stuff."

Pause.

"Ok, apology accepted.  So, how ya been doing?"

Pause.

"Oh, too bad.  No, I hadn't heard about that.  I've been out of circulation for twenty-thousand years, remember?"

Long pause.

"Ha, ha.  Did she really?  It figures."

Pause.

"Tsunami?  She's fine.  Yes, she's still into botony."

Pause.

"No, I don't think she stole the tree idea from you.  It was a parallel development."

Pause.

"I'll tell her you said that.  Right."

Pause.

"Your daughter?  Well, she does want to come with me."

Pause.

"I see, I see.  No, I don't think there's any chance of a paradox.  No, not even if she does meet any of her other selves."

Pause.

"No, we won't be doing any time travel as far as I know."

Pause.

"She has your permission then?  Great, she'll be so happy."

Pause.

"No, I don't mind if your other daughters keep an eye on us.  I assume they can travel the dimensions without help?"

Pause.

"Good.  Ok, great.  Oh, and I'll tell Tokimi you said hello too."

Pause.

"Yep.  Oh, really?  I didn't know that.  Strange how those things happen."

Pause.

"Ryoko and Tenchi?  They're fine."

Pause.

"You're worried about Ayeka then.  I think we have it under control at this end."

Pause.

"Yes, Tokimi told me she'd contacted Xellos, but he never showed up."

Pause.

"Heh.  Yeah, I know how those demons are."

Pause.

"You worry to much, you know?  It can't be good for your blood pressure."

Pause.

"Yes that was a joke.  What did you think it was?"

Pause.

"Ah.  Yes, I understand.  Well, give everyone up there my love."

Pause.

"Bye."

She hung up the phone, which promptly vanished.  Turning to her young student she said, "I guess it's all set.  Your dad says you can come as long as you listen and do what I tell you."

Her student started bouncing up and down with joy.  "Yay!  I get to go, I get to go!"

Washu put out a hand to stop her.  "Wait!  Stop!  If you bounce any higher that hammer of yours is going to break something.  If you want to celebrate, do it outside, ok?"  She walked back to her terminal as she watched her student bounce to the exit portal.  "Hmmph.  Children and their parents.  It's like talking to a wall."

*****

The end.

*****

Authors Notes

Well?  Does it work?  If you haven't read my other fics can you guess who the student is?  The father?  There are a few obscure hints throughout the fic.  The idea for this came to me in the shower and it took about twenty minutes to write.  Probably shows it too…

BobR

12/04/2001


End file.
